In a couple of weeks, I will be presenting a short workshop for parents on discipling our children. It’s hard to narrow down into one hour what is most important to share on this huge topic. But then, I am a firm believer that less is more, so one hour is certainly sufficient to pack […]
Reb Bradley of Family Ministries wrote a very convicting article titled “Solving the Crisis in Homeschooling – Exposing the 7 Major Blindspots of Homeschoolers”. This article is not just for homeschoolers, but for every parent who is serious about bringing their children up in the Christian faith. I saw myself making many of the mistakes […]
I hear many teenagers tell me, “My parents only care about ________(fill in the blank with “my grades”, “not embarrassing them”, “keeping my room clean”, etc.). They don’t care about ME.” What do they mean their parents don’t care about them?? I bet their parents would die for them. Yet that message doesn’t get across […]
A parent asked me, “I’ve told my kids to do their homework when they first come home from school. But they just won’t do it, and end up finishing late. What can I do?” The parent’s thinking is to get homework out of way first, and that is a good study habit. This makes sense…only […]
A reader asked, “I would LOVE to hear some tips on how to get the kids to do their chores. You know, without making me turn into the Wicked Witch of the West???” This is one of the most common question I get asked by parents. First, we all know that mothers are known to […]
We parents talk too much. I suppose it comes naturally to us to talk too much. When we tell our kids “NO” to having a cookie right before dinner and they begin to whine, we feel compelled to explain to them why they can’t have a cookie. When they continue to whine, we escalate our volume […]
A reader asks, “How do I stop my toddler from whining?” Honestly, even adults whine! I get whiny when I don’t get what I want. “I want a new kitchen…I want a vacation…I want to eat out every night…” I whine when I can’t control the circumstances in my favor and get what I want. […]
My family had a great time at the Los Angeles County Fair this past weekend. At the “Bark Park” the stunt dogs performed a number cute tricks. For one of the tricks, two small children were asked to be volunteer helpers. Usually kids love that sort of thing. However, one of them, a little 4-year-old […]
I believe it was Gary Smalley who taught that everyone has an emotional tank. We function at our best when our emotional tank is full. Here’s how it works. When an emotional need is met, our tank gets a “deposit.” It fills up a bit. A hug, an affirming word, a listening ear, laughter, good […]
While we were at the cemetery paying tribute at my mother’s grave site (it’s been 9 years since her passing, I miss her), my 8-year-old nephew started running around with no apparent aim. His mother and I looked at each other. “Where is he going?” We nodded with mutual understanding: It doesn’t matter where he’s […]
